Compare towns
Bergen vs Pendleton vs Riga
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bergen has the most affordable homes ($170k median).
Pendleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10%).
Riga has the oldest population (median age 48.2).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Bergen | Pendleton | Riga |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,081Lowest |
7,034Highest |
5,534 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% NY: +4.2% |
+10%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-0.1%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 47.8±4.3 20% above NY |
46.7±4.1Lowest 17% above NY |
48.2±6.6Highest 21% above NY |
| Riga and Bergen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±4.4Lowest NY: 20.5% |
21.6%±4.8Highest NY: 20.5% |
20.9%±4.6 NY: 20.5% |
| Pendleton and Riga are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±3.8Lowest NY: 17.9% |
23%±4.3Highest NY: 17.9% |
21.6%±3.6 NY: 17.9% |
| Pendleton and Riga are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
34.9% NY: 40.2% |
42.5%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±2.6Highest NY: 7% |
4%±2.1Lowest NY: 7% |
4.8%±1.8 NY: 7% |
| Bergen and Riga are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,327±$8kLowest 12% below NY |
$113,750±$27kHighest 32% above NY |
$100,750±$10k 17% above NY |
| Pendleton and Riga are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $170,000±$21kLowest 60% below NY |
$294,300±$39kHighest 31% below NY |
$227,600±$12k 46% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $781±$91Lowest 52% below NY |
$994±$119Highest 39% below NY |
$907±$273 44% below NY |
| Pendleton and Riga are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,380Lowest 33% below NY |
$6,623Highest about the NY average |
$4,622 30% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 75.7%±26.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
6.6%±17.3Lowest NY: 52.1% |
56.7%±19.8 NY: 52.1% |
| Bergen and Riga are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.3%Highest NY: 14% |
9.4% NY: 14% |
3.2%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
91.1%Highest NY: 54.3% |
87.1% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 2 yrs newer than NY |
1978Highest 19 yrs newer than NY |
1977 18 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 36% below NY |
23 min 31% below NY |
24 minHighest 27% below NY |
| Work from home | 6.6%±3.9Lowest NY: 14.9% |
18.4%±6.6Highest NY: 14.9% |
10.7%±3.4 NY: 14.9% |
| Pendleton and Riga are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #333 of 484 in NY | #67 of 484 in NY | #96 of 484 in NY |
| School district | BYRON-BERGEN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | STARPOINT CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | CHURCHVILLE-CHILI CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | BYRON-BERGEN JUNIOR/SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | STARPOINT HIGH SCHOOL | CHURCHVILLE-CHILI SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.2Lowest |
14.5Highest |
11.4 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NY average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.